Robert e



(No Model.)

B. E. POINDEXTER.

FENCE. No 462,412. Patented Nov. 3, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT E. POINDEXTER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FENCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,412, dated November 3, 1891.

Application filed July 16, 1891- Serial No. 399,773. (No model.)

To all wltont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. POINDEXTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fences, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to the method of connecting the horizontal rails which extend between the vertical posts of a fence to said posts; and it consists in a peculiar form of coupling, by which such connection is effected as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a panel of fence in which the end or corner post and the horizontal rail are united by means of my improved coupling; Fig. 2, a fragmentary side elevation, on an enlarged scale, similar to a portion of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a central sectional view, on the dotted line 3 3 in Fig. at, of the parts shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a horizontal sectional view looking downwardly from the dotted line a at in Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 a vertical sectional view looking toward the right from the dotted line 5 5 in Fig. 2.

In said drawings, the portions marked A and 1-3 represent the posts of the fence; 0, wires which constitute the body of the fence; D, the horizontal rail extending between the posts, and E j the two parts of my improved coupling.

The posts A and B are the ordinary end or corner and intermediate posts used in fences of this character, as are also the wires 0 and rails D. So far as any of said parts or their attachments, except the coupling, are .concerned, they are not of mypresent invention and will not be further described herein, except incidentally in describing said invention.

The coupling E consists of a ring-like portion which surrounds the post A and a tongue which extends out horizontally therefrom and is adapted partially to embrace the horizontal rail D. It is provided with small projections e, which extend down somewhat below the center of the rail D when the parts are assembled, as shown, and are adapted to be bent in sufficiently to support said rail temporarily before the ring is driven on. This bent-in position of these small projections is best illustrated in Fig. 5. That the device may be securely held to the predetermined height on the post A at all times, a small key-seat is cut in its inside surface, into which a small key a may be driven. The ring E is first placed loosely upon the rail D, and after the parts of the structure are assembled and adjusted said ring is driven over the tongue on the coupling E, clamping said tongue and said rail closely together. In order to secure said parts together with the greatest degree of firmness, I may provide a small key-seat in the inner face of the ring E, into which a key (Z may be inserted.

By my improved construction I am enabled to produce a very firm and durable fence, in which the parts can be cheaply formed ready for use in erecting the fence, thus avoiding all necessity for cutting or fitting said parts at the place of erection.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a fence, of the post,

the horizontal rail, and a coupling consisting of a ring surrounding the post and having a tongue extending out alongside said rail and a ring surrounding said rail and said tongue.

2. The combination, with the post and rail of a fence, of a couplingin the form of a ring adapted to surround the post and having a tongue adapted to extend alongside the rail, said tongue being provided with projections extending past the centerof the rail and adapted to be bent under and temporarily support the rail.

The combination of the post A, the rail D, the coupling E, having a tongue, the ring E, and the keys a and (Z, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Indianapolis,Indiana, this 30th day of June, A. D. 1891.

ROBERT E. ronmnxrnn. [n s] 

